Industrial Symbiosis Networks Research Articles

Selection of waste receiving companies for sustainable industrial symbiosis network: an application a case in Ankara for foundry industry waste

AbstractIn the past twenty years, besides the technological and innovative efforts for production processes, there have been activities for the recovery and quality improvement of waste based on the development of sustainable solutions. These activities bring us closer to zero waste by protecting natural resources and reducing the environmental impact of production facilities. One of the essential approaches in this process is the industrial symbiosis (IS) approach. Efforts to implement the industrial symbiosis approach in an industrial park constitute the motivation of the study. The study aims to identify alternative enterprises that can evaluate the wastes generated in the main production process of the foundry industry with industrial symbiosis and rank them to establish a symbiotic relationship. First, the Pythagorean Fuzzy Analytical Hierarchy Process (PF-AHP) model has been developed to evaluate organizational factors, waste-specific factors, and economic and environmental sustainability criteria for establishing an IS network among alternative businesses. Then, alternative businesses were ranked to establish a symbiosis network with the PF-TOPSIS method. The proposed method contributes to the solution of a real-life problem that may arise when there are multiple alternatives to cooperate in the field of industrial symbiosis. By contributing this framework to the literature, the robustness of the results has been demonstrated through sensitivity analysis and comparative analysis. According to the results obtained, it was seen that the importance levels of economic factors came to the fore. Furthermore, among the alternatives, enterprises with high waste exchange potential, such as cement, took first place in the ranking.

The impact of environmental taxation on the structure and performance of industrial symbiosis networks: An agent-based simulation study

How to use appropriate policy measures to intervene industrial symbiosis is valuable in theory but still lacks exploration. This paper discusses the effect of environmental taxation on industrial symbiosis networks. Firstly, the formation mechanism of industrial symbiotic network is analysed with the idea of agent-based modelling. Then, a simulation model was built to simulate the emergence process of industrial symbiosis networks. On this basis, the influence of environmental taxation on the structure and performance of the industrial symbiosis networks is explored. The results show that when the intensity of environmental tax is low, the industrial symbiotic network has the structural characteristics of random network. With the increase of environmental tax intensity, the cyclic ordering of network structure is gradually enhanced. The collection of environmental tax will not only reduce pollution, but also reduce the economic output of the network and reduce enterprise income to a greater extent. Finally, some relevant suggestions for the government to formulate environmental tax policy are provided based on the results.

Agent-based simulation for technology implementation in an energy-based industrial symbiosis network

Agent-based modeling is a promising approach in industrial symbiosis (IS) simulation due to its bottom-up approach. However, the role of implementing feasible technologies in agent-based modeling of IS has been underexplored. In this paper, an agent-based model was developed to optimize the economic benefits of IS stakeholders in a case study region. Feasible technologies were integrated into the proposed model to generate additional economic profit and enhance circularity. The model was implemented on a case study involving a chicken farm, cow farm, dairy, edible oil plant, and a Combined Heat and Power (CHP) plant. Technologies including anaerobic digestion, organic Rankine cycle, heat pump, and membrane separation were employed to produce biogas, recover waste heat, and purify wastewater. While the fossil-based energy consumed by industries reduced, all the waste streams could be recovered. The techno-economic specifications of these technologies had a significant impact on the symbiotic relationships.

A stakeholder decision and road-network-based deterministic model to simulate material flows in regional scale industrial symbioses

Industrial Symbiosis (IS) projects are today well known for their contribution to sustainable development. Designing IS projects implies modelling the quantity of material flows between economic components (ECs), in particular to evaluate the environmental and economic gains obtained through more material circularity and use efficiency. The Industrial Symbiosis concept is now being applied to activities distributed over territories much wider than industrial parks. For such setups, existing modelling methods are becoming strained by the number of economic components involved, their dissemination within heterogeneous landscapes and the resulting complexity of the exchanges. In this paper, we propose a generic, spatially explicit simulation model based on stakeholder decision rules to study regional scale flows quantification between ECs in n-n IS networks. Our approach introduces the use of the Gale-Shapley stable matching algorithm for addressing the many-to-many supply-demand matching problem. The method is deterministic and provides stable solutions that optimise the individual objectives of the ECs. A second introduction considers using transport cost along the road network among the decision rules when ECs preferences are ordered. This solves the issue of correctly estimating travel distance in heterogeneous landscapes where it can be significantly different to the distance as the crow flies. We tested the model with the implementation of two real and concrete case studies related to the bioeconomy of a tropical island: (i) collective storage of fodder and (ii) co-composting platforms. The outputs of the model make it possible to compare scenarios based on EC satisfaction relative to supply and demand as well as the total distance travelled along the road network. Finally, we discuss the limitations and genericity of the model to explore diverse industrial symbiosis projects.

Impact of Transportation Costs on the Establishment of an Industrial Symbiosis Network

The challenges related to natural resource depletion and environmental issues stimulate businesses to look for solutions to overcome them. One of the leading strategies that have emerged from the practical implementation of the circular economy concept is industrial symbiosis, which aims to reduce material extraction and consumption by using the waste (co-product) of one company as input for production processes of another company. This study aims to provide a more profound insight into industrial symbiosis (IS) modeling by considering the transport system impact. To this end, a hybrid approach based on agent-based modeling and system dynamics is presented to comprehensively capture the complexity of interactions between companies and their related impacts on transportation. A case study and numerical example are discussed to validate the proposed approach and related model. The results demonstrate that the development of IS, as expected, is significantly influenced by the transport system.

A two-stage stochastic model for an industrial symbiosis network under uncertain demand

Industrial Symbiosis (IS) networks are structures built by volunteer companies with the aim of exchanging unused or residual resources, benefiting all participating companies. The profitability of these volunteer companies is critical as it affects the sustainability of these networks. Fluctuations in a participating company's production level can potentially disrupt its network by altering the quantity and availability of wastes and by-products. In light of these considerations, we analyse the impact of fluctuations in demand for final products of the companies on company profitability, and waste and by-product usage. For this purpose, we formulated a two-stage stochastic programming model and solved it using the Sample Average Approximation (SAA) method. We tested our model on a theoretical IS network comprising companies in the forest products industry. The results demonstrate that companies in the network keep exchanging by-products and remain profitable despite uncertainties in demand. Consequently, we conclude that the established network exhibits resilience to demand fluctuations, which is an important aspect of its sustainability.

Measuring the symbiotic performance of single entities within networks using an LCA approach

This paper introduces the Symbiotic Performance Indicator, a novel indicator aiming to quantify the environmental benefits generated by by-product exchanges in an industrial symbiosis network. Despite the significant advancements in assessing industrial symbiosis, the lack of indicators for individual entities involved in by-product exchanges hinders a comprehensive understanding of its environmental benefits. This indicator accounts for resource use and greenhouse gas emissions using a life cycle perspective. The resource use is measured using the Cumulative Exergy Extraction from the Natural Environment method, while greenhouse gas emissions are evaluated using the IPCC 2013 Global Warming Potential (100a) method. The use of this indicator is illustrated in a real case study where plastic waste is exchanged among three entities in Mendoza (Argentina). The overall results show that resource use and greenhouse gas emissions can be reduced by 19% and 15%, respectively. Full and partial allocation methods are proposed within the formulation of the Symbiotic Performance Indicator. The indicator results show that the exchange of materials may seem less attractive when using full allocation methods, as one entity gets 100% of the benefits from the by-product exchange compared to the other. Partial allocations make the by-product exchange convenient for both entities which may encourage collaboration. In conclusion, the proposed indicator helps account more precisely for individual environmental benefits behind by-product exchanges, and thus enables better decision-making to set up an industrial symbiosis network.

Connecting organizational context to environmental sustainability initiatives and industrial symbiosis: Empirical results and case analysis

Industrial symbiosis can move us closer to a circular economy and enable efficient and sustainable use of resources. Its potential has however been far from realized, and to increase our understanding of why that is, we investigate drivers, barriers, and outcomes associated with both broadly defined environmental sustainability initiatives and industrial symbiosis from an organizational context perspective. A mixed-methods approach is used, combining statistical analysis of survey material with an embedded case study at an industrial symbiosis network in Sotenäs, Sweden. The position of the customer order decoupling point (CODP), a critical aspect of supply chains that separates forecast-based operations from those tied to specific orders, enables comparisons between organizations with primarily forecast-driven operations from those with primarily order-driven operations. We find that the CODP plays an important role in organizations' commitments to sustainability initiatives in general, as organizations with different CODP positions experience different levels of benefits from such initiatives. We did not find that the CODP position had the same impact for industrial symbiosis initiatives. Our results indicate that both industrial symbiosis, a very specific type of sustainability initiative and collaboration, and environmental sustainability initiatives in a broad sense, are associated with multiple, positive business outcomes. However, case study participants also described that their industrial symbiosis participation was time consuming and associated with an added administrative burden. This could be a reason why such collaborations are not more prevalent, despite the potential of bringing about several positive business outcomes. Finally, our findings indicate that industrial symbiosis may bring business-related benefits to firms regardless of their CODP position, but then in order to understand why such networks are not more prevalent, we recommend that future research investigates ways of quantifying and distributing burdens and rewards associated with industrial symbiosis collaboration.

Prioritizing of sectors for establishing a sustainable industrial symbiosis network with Pythagorean fuzzy AHP- Pythagorean fuzzy TOPSIS method: a case of industrial park in Ankara.

Difficulty in accessing resources and increasing environmental concerns encourage industrial manufacturing enterprises to establish a symbiosis network. The identification of symbiotic relationships contributes to the more sustainable development of industrial activities. However, businesses operating in industrial parks are diversified by sector. In order to establish a sustainable symbiosis network in industrial parks, the symbiotic relations of each sector in industrial parks should be evaluated separately. Thus, the installation process of the symbiosis network will be easier and more sustainable. In this context, this study aims to prioritize the sector in which a symbiosis network will be established by presenting an innovative approach for the evaluation of symbiosis potentials. For this purpose, criteria for the implementation process affecting the establishment of the symbiosis network were determined. Multi-criteria decision-making methods were used to solve the problem. Considering the uncertainties in the process, fuzzy multi-criteria decision-making methods were used. As a result, a decision-making model has been proposed to determine the priority sector in order to establish a symbiosis network in industrial parks. According to the results obtained with the multi-criteria decision-making methods, the number of enterprises that will evaluate the waste, that is, the number of customers with waste, has been determined as the criterion with the highest level of importance. While evaluating the alternatives, the casting sector was chosen as a priority. This sector is followed by the petro and chemical sector as the second alternative.

Conceptualising a Model to Assess the Optimum Water Flow of Industrial Symbiosis (IS)

Industrial Symbiosis (IS) has obtained worldwide concern as a new initiative for achieving collaborative benefits through the exchange of resources including water among industries. Even though these initiatives became prominent as successful projects in the early stages, many of them have resulted in failures in the long term due to the absence of the prior evaluation and optimisation of identified water synergies in IS planning. Further, the main attention has been given to achieving cost reductions in individual plants rather than analysing the environmental benefits of IS networks that can be achieved through the maximum recovery of wastewater. The existing evaluation emphasises the need to have a standardised way to assess the optimum water flow of IS. Thus, the purpose is to conceptualise a model to assess the optimum water flow of IS based on secondary data analysis. A desk study and a detailed literature review were selected as suitable methods for reviewing the existing literature relating to water exchange in IS networks, water input and output flow, and optimisation methodologies. As the key findings derived through analysis, water inputs and outputs, a boundary for the selection of industrial entities, typical water synergies, and optimisation formulas were established. Finally, a conceptual model was developed to assess the optimum water flow of IS, which was evaluated through expert interviews to identify further improvements. The developed model forms a unique foundation for assessing the optimum water flow of IS, applying in any context subject to context-specific enhancements. Most importantly, the novelty can be highlighted as the consideration given to maximum wastewater recovery in achieving the reduction in the freshwater utilisation of industrial entities within the IS network. Nevertheless, this conceptual model is still at its early development stage, and it is subjected to more empirical testing and research for its practicality and further refinement as a way forward for the research.

Credibility-based cascading approach to achieve net-zero emissions in energy symbiosis networks using an Organic Rankine Cycle

Industrial symbiosis (IS) integrates multiple industries to share resources (e.g., energy, water, by-materials) for economic and environmental reasons. Energy demand is dynamic, imposing financial and logistical barriers to achieving Circular Energy (CEn). This paper addresses this by proposing a new framework that integrates central heating networks of an Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) system to recover unused low-temperature energy. The framework is formulated as a stochastic programming problem to capture the uncertainty of some parameters to reduce the costs arising from fluctuations in energy supply and demand and, subsequently, wasted energy. Disruption management is also applied to handle the risk of suppliers becoming unavailable due to unforeseen events. The proposed multi-objective mixed-integer linear programming model optimizes the conflicting sustainability value preferences in the IS-based CEn network. The paper presents a novel robust possibilistic programming technique to control the epistemic uncertainty of the developed mode and develops a robust variant of the augmented ε-constraint algorithm (AUGMECON-R) to obtain the Pareto optimal solutions. The results provide a new platform for reducing the undesirable effects of worst-case energy symbiosis scenarios. The results show that using ORCs in an IS network increases the economic benefits of such a system by about 20% and reduces customer dissatisfaction from energy supply disruptions by about 27%.

Uncovering and Filtering Industrial Symbiosis Networks for Carbon Dioxide Utilization in Trinidad and Tobago

The emission source profile of the small island developing State of Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) is unique amongst high national CO2 emitters per unit of GDP. To consider appropriate options for sustainably reusing CO2 in an industrial symbiosis network (ISN), a simple enterprise input-output model of CO2 exchanges between representative plants in a petrochemical cluster at the Point Lisas Industrial Estate in T&T was created. Then multi-objective optimization (MOO) was performed, so that both CO2 emissions and levelized transportation costs would be enhanced. Initial benchmarking uncovered the potential to reuse 17% of the process CO2 emissions in chemical manufacturing on the representative petrochemical network. Next, the effect of adding a CO2-reusing propylene carbonate plant to the ISN was examined. To determine how to add the propylene carbonate plant, MOO was reapplied to an updated network model, to filter all the possible ISNs. These MOO results suggest the addition of a CO2-reusing plant would increase the mass of CO2 reused in the ISN by 6.3%. Thus, eco-connectance, which is a measure of the level of IS, would be increased by 35%. The proposed changes could improve multiple Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) indicators concomitant with SDGs 8, 9, 12 and questionably 13.

A Smart Contract Architecture Framework for Successful Industrial Symbiosis Applications Using Blockchain Technology

Industrial Symbiosis (IS) involves a network of organizations that exchange energy, materials, and by-products to lower production costs, reduce environmental impact, and conserve natural resources. Despite over two decades of extensive research into IS, its benefits are well known, but implementation remains challenging. This paper proposes utilizing blockchain technology (BCT) to digitize IS, making it more secure and transparent. First, drivers and barriers of BCT implementation in IS are identified. A smart contract architecture framework using Hyperledger Fabric is then proposed using the constructed theoretical background and abductive method. Finally, the paper discusses how this framework supports the implementation of BCT in IS by addressing its drivers and attempting to overcome its barriers. It is a resource for those seeking a comprehensive grasp of the foundational elements necessary for constructing a successful IS blockchain design, which is adaptable to all types of IS network configurations.

Implications of the blockchain technology adoption by additive symbiotic networks

A vibrant debate has been initiated around the potential adoption of blockchain technology for enhancing the development of industrial symbiosis networks, particularly for promoting the creation of additive symbiotic networks. Despite the potential benefits of trust creation and elimination of intermediary entities, adopting such innovative technologies promises to disrupt the current supply chains of those symbiotic networks. The literature on these topics is still beginning; thus, the present research intends to contribute. A framework for understanding the implications of adopting the blockchain technology in the supply chain structure (specifically, in the dependency dimension) of an additive symbiotic network was developed, considering a network theory lens. The case study method was deemed to be suitable for carrying out this research. A case study related to an additive symbiotic network is described in detail, with the development of two scenarios: scenario I “as-is” for the current state of the network and scenario II “to-be” considering the adoption of the blockchain technology. Results show that adopting blockchain technology impacts the supply chain structure of additive symbiotic networks. More specifically, there are implications for the power distribution among the network’s stakeholders.

Brazilian Circular Economy Pilot Project: Integrating Local Stakeholders’ Perception and Social Context in Industrial Symbiosis Analyses

This paper aims to analyze organisations’ behaviour in the Industrial Symbiosis implementation process in the Circular Economy Pilot Project, in Brazil from the actors’ perception. We conducted an exploratory and descriptive study with a qualitative approach to attain the research objective. The data collection involved in depth interviews with eighteen actors. Data were analyzed using the Content Analysis technique. The study results in show a still incipient industrial symbiosis network, with few connections between industrial actors, based on bilateral exchanges of materials, water and energy. From the analysis, it was possible to identify the elements that influence the behaviour of organisations. When it comes to exogenous elements, it is clear that laws and sanctions are the ones that most determine organisational action. However, this pressure is still focused on the traditional and unidirectional model of production processes. Economic viability was identified as a primary factor for the objective elements of organisational action. Regarding the subjective elements, it was found that there was already an interaction before the project between some companies, especially those from automotive sector. With the project’s initiative, this social interaction was intensified, including between companies from different sectors. Regarding the barriers, we found the absence of governmental actions, unavailability of time and involvement of the managers to fully participate in the project, high cost of waste disposal versus the cost of investment and, discontinuity of actions. Overall, the study indicates that the project increased the institutional capacity of the region to develop industrial symbiosis, as it advanced in sharing new knowledge, promoted more significant interaction between organisations and identified business opportunities for companies. However, it appears that the project’s continuity will be conditioned to improve some aspects of the governance structure, regulatory framework and collective engagement. These results can be helpful for researchers studying this topic and managers in Brazil and other emerging countries in Latin America, as well as, policymakers involved in public policies aimed to enable the transition to a circular e more sustainable model.

Leveraging Digital Twins to Support Industrial Symbiosis Networks: A Case Study in the Norwegian Wood Supply Chain Collaboration

Despite the powerful potentials of digital twins as regards achieving sustainable operations and supply chain management, there is currently very little research on using digital twins for industrial symbiosis, and even less research investigating user needs. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct sufficient research on the market and user needs before setting the framework of digital twins for industrial symbiosis. We interviewed six companies in the Norwegian wood industry that could potentially share one symbiosis network. Based on the interviews, we analyzed the needs of potential digital twins for industrial symbiosis, aiming to understand the user’s point of view on digital twins for industrial symbiosis. The research is expected to provide intellectual support for future digital twins’ design from the user perspective. This paper not only promotes the design of digital twins for industrial symbiosis from the user perspective, but also provides an analytical framework for the user perspective analysis before the development of digital twins-based supply chain collaboration in the industrial symbiosis network.

The impact of disclosure of risk information on risk propagation in the industrial symbiosis network.

The interdependent symbiotic relationship between enterprises may bring potential risks to the stability of the industrial symbiosis network (ISN). In order to reduce the damage caused by further risk propagation to the system, this paper establishes the multiplex network to study the impact of disclosure of risk information on risk propagation. In the multiplex network, we use a small-world network to simulate a social network and propose an evolutionary model with scale-free characteristics to simulate the symbiotic relationships between enterprises. Then we establish a risk propagation model by defining transition rules among various states. Through theoretical analysis using the Microscopic Markov Chain Approach (MMCA), we find that the proportion of disclosed enterprises, the network structure of the ISN, the recovery rate of enterprises, and the degree of symbiotic dependence affect the risk propagation threshold of the ISN. Numerical simulation results show that increasing the disclosure probability of risk information can reduce the scope of risk propagation. Moreover, once the disclosure probability of risk information reaches a certain value, the risk propagation threshold can be increased. Finally, relevant suggestions are put forward: (i) strengthening the information communication between symbiotic enterprises may reduce risks caused by information asymmetry. (ii) In addition to the authenticity and integrity of risk information, it is necessary to prevent risk information from being over-interpreted or exaggerated. (iii) Enterprises should strengthen the ability to recover from risks, appropriately reduce the degree of symbiotic dependence, and enhance risk awareness to reduce the possibility of risk occurrence.

An integrated framework for industrial symbiosis performance evaluation in an energy-intensive industrial park in China.

Industrial symbiosis (IS) is an important tool to achieve green development for industrial parks. It is necessary to evaluate the IS performance for monitoring and managing the development of IS system. This study proposed an integrated framework to assess the IS performance based on the energy-intensive industrial park. Firstly, we established a Conceptual model of symbiotic coupling of three industries (iron and steel, thermal power, and cement). Then, the conceptual model was applied to extend the existing IS system in the energy-intensive industrial park. Finally, the IS performance of the extended IS system was evaluated. We verified this framework in Red flag cannel park (RFCP). The IS performance assessment in RFCP found that the existing IS activities produced significant multiple benefits and environmental impact reduction. For example, the existing IS activities produced 970.20 kt of low-carbon benefits, which accounted for 19% of the CO2 emissions in RFCP. However, after extending the existing symbiotic system combined with the conceptual model proposed in this study, we found that there still was a large amount of symbiotic potential (the reuse of waste heat, BF slag, gypsum) waiting to be developed in RFCP. In addition, we also found that the resilience of existing IS network in RFCP was weak and need to be further perfected. In general, in the further development and perfection of IS system in RFCP, the manager should not only focus on the development of IS activities among energy-intensive enterprises but also strive to foster more influential enterprises to enhance the anti-risk ability of IS network. The result indicates the integrated framework can provide support for the development and perfection of IS system in energy-intensive industrial parks.

Efluenti iz industrijske prerade hrane životinjskog porekla kao medijumi za proizvodnju biokontrolnih agenasa

Intensive food production to feed the growing human population requires significant material and energy resources, simultaneously generating large amounts of waste, whose treatment adds an additional cost to the overall production process. Wastewaters arising from meat and dairy processing industries contain large amounts of organic and inorganic nutrients, which present a heavy environmental burden, but, on the other hand, could serve as nutrient sources for microbial growth. The aim of this study was to investigate the suitability of meat processing wastewater and whey from the dairy industry as media for the growth of biocontrol strain Bacillus velezensis IP22. Both waste-based media have contributed to antibacterial and antifungal activity to a similar degree, with highly comparable inhibition zone diameters against Xanthomonas campestris, Xanthomonas euvesicatoria and Aspergillus flavus. Furthermore, biocontrol activity of the cultivation broths obtained using the waste-based media was slightly lower compared to the nutrient broth medium, suggesting the possibility to replace the expensive chemically defined medium with a complex medium alternative. This approach based on circular economy principles promotes responsible resource utilization through the reuse of food industry effluents for the production of value value-added products, opening a chapter of possibilities to establish an industrial symbiosis network between companies in different industry branches.

Boosting additive circular economy ecosystems using blockchain: An exploratory case study

The role of new technologies such as additive manufacturing and blockchain technology in designing and implementing circular economy ecosystems is not a trivial issue. This study aimed to understand if blockchain technology can be an enabler tool for developing additive symbiotic networks. A real case study was developed regarding a circular economy ecosystem in which a fused granular fabrication 3D printer is used to valorize polycarbonate waste. The industrial symbiosis network comprised four stakeholders: a manufacturing company that produces polycarbonate waste, a municipality service responsible for the city waste management, a start-up holding the 3D printer, and a non-profit store. It was identified a set of six requirements to adopt the blockchain technology in an additive symbiotic network, bearing in mind the need to have a database to keep track of the properties of the input material for the 3D printer during the exchanges, in addition to the inexistence of mechanisms of trust or cooperation between well-established industries and the additive manufacturing industry. The findings suggested a permissioned blockchain to support the implementation of the additive symbiotic network, namely, to enable the physical transactions (quantity and quality of waste material PC sheets) and monitoring and reporting (additive manufacturing technology knowledge and final product's quantity and price).Future research venues include developing blockchain-based systems that enhance the development of additive symbiotic networks.